


Their Promise

by InsiderKiwi



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Fluff, M/M, ahahha i hate titling, mostly fluff only a lil angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-01
Updated: 2014-02-01
Packaged: 2018-01-10 20:33:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1164222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsiderKiwi/pseuds/InsiderKiwi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Armin and Eren fulfill a promise they made to each other as kids.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Their Promise

**Author's Note:**

> uhhh maybe this isn't good since I don't have a lot of experience writing, but I'm gonna post it anyway and I hope you enjoy these two dorks
> 
> also also also the numbers before each section are supposed to be how old they are when the section takes place

-3-

“Go on, Eren. Say hello.” Carla Jeager urged her son, who growled and glared with his intense green eyes. Armin’s first thought was that they are very pretty, like a girl’s. His second was that this wild animal is scary and not like the ones pictured in the book that he gripped with his small hands. He clutched it tighter to his chest.

Carla moved out of the way and nudged her son forward. Armin stumbled backwards until he hit his mother’s knees. The two children stared silently at each other for a tense moment.

“What’s your book about?” Armin blinks in surprise at the first comprehensible words the brown-haired boy has spoken.

“It’s about animals. Do you growl because you’re an animal? Maybe I can find out what type of animal you are in this book,” Armin said slowly. He didn’t know of any animals that could speak like humans though, and he knew about lots of animals.

“I’m a person just like you, dummy,” the wild boy grinned. Armin thought his teeth looked like fangs.

“I’m not a dummy, I’m Awmin. If you’re not an animal why did you growl and why do you smell bad?” Armin wrinkled his tiny nose. The mothers visibly relaxed when Eren grinned wider and explained that he was practicing to become a werewolf. He began to explain all about werewolf theory to the fascinated Armin. There weren’t any werewolves in his animal book.

“Carla, I can’t thank you enough for looking out for him like this. I know we just moved here, but it’s such a relief to know there’s someone else to look after him,” Mrs. Arlert smiled down at her son who was thinner and smaller than most boys his age, “His health wasn’t the best in the city. We’re hoping the country air will do him good.”

Mrs. Jeager smiles, empathizing with the other mother’s anxiety. “He’s welcome in our home any time. Isn’t that right, Eren?”

“Yeah. The next time you come over I can show you my race cars.”

Armin smiled shyly at the thought of a “next time” and nodded. Eren thought that he looked very pretty when he smiled.

-5-

Eren fought back tears as he walked the short way to Armin’s house, pulling his red wagon behind him. It got caught twice on the sidewalk cracks and spilled its contents before he made it to Armin’s house, openly crying at that point.

“C-can I please talk to Awmin?” he hiccupped when Armin’s father opened the door. Armin soon arrived and they sat on the front steps as Eren retold what was probably the worst day of his life. He explained how his mother had accused him of farting during lunch when Sophie, the dog, had clearly done it. He tried to make her see it wasn’t him, couldn't possibly have been him, but she wouldn’t believe him. She had _laughed_ at him, and he could still hear the derision and scorn in her voice. Eren decided he had no choice but to run away and had even left a note so that it was official.

Dear Mom,

I am running away. Do not come find me because I do not want to see you anymore.

Eren

P.S. It was not me who farted it was Sophie

P.P.S. I still love you

Armin listened to his best friend’s sad story in silence. He agreed that Eren’s mother had been mean. He handed his friend one of the tissues he always kept in his pockets. Eren gratefully accepted before suddenly standing up, an idea forming in his head.

“Run away with me! Then we can hang out together all the time and nobody can tell us what to do.” He seemed pleased with his idea. Armin looked worriedly at his friend.

“But then who will make us food and who will put band-aids on our owies?” he asked.

“I’ll hunt for food for the both of us,” Eren announced proudly, “and I’ll protect you and put bandaids on you. And you can put bandaids on me!”

“And we can live together all the time?”

“Yeah! We’ll never be apart!” Eren stretched out his hand.

The boys were picked up by their worried parents when they were stopped for a rest in the park a block and a half away. Eren’s mother clutched him fiercely while Armin’s mother looked him over for injuries. Eren was more upset that his plan to run away with Armin had failed than with his mother, who apologized for not believing him before launching into another speech about why running away is bad. Armin’s eyes met his and he felt ashamed all over again.

On the way back Armin silently grabbed Eren’s hand. He turned to his friend.

“Do you think one day we can do all the stuff you said? Like live together?” he whispered.

“Yeah. One day I’ll hunt for you and take care of you and we’ll be together all the time,” Eren replied. He gripped Armin’s hand harder.

“We can take care of each other.” That was their promise.

-7-

After the third day of being turned away from Armin’s house, Eren was desperate. Armin’s dad had said he was too sick to come out and play, but the longer it took for Armin to get better, the more worried he became. What if Armin never got better and they never saw each other again? Their last parting had ended on a bitter note because Eren had accidentally torn a page in one of Armin’s books. He had been playing with them because he was bored and Armin didn’t want to play video games with him. Armin had actually yelled at him, saying books were for reading, not playing.

That was why Eren had climbed the tree that towered next to Armin’s window. The curtain was drawn and he couldn’t see inside. He threw a couple of acorns experimentally before Armin appeared in the window. He was still in his pajamas and had a blanket wrapped around his thin shoulders. He looked terrible.

“Eren?! What the heck are you doing?” Armin said as he opened the window. His friend was perched on a precariously small branch close to his window. Eren’s face lit up to hear that Armin was still talking to him.

“I came by yesterday and the day before but your parents wouldn’t let me see you. They said you were sick.”

“I _am_ sick. I have in-flu-en-za.” Armin sniffled and started coughing.

“What’s that?” Eren said, furrowing his brow. It didn’t sound very fun.

“It’s the flu.”

“Oh.” Eren thought Armin was really smart for knowing another name for the flu. Sometimes the kids down the street called him a know-it-all because he used big words, but Eren though it was neat and beat up everyone who thought otherwise.

Armin started shivering, and Eren made a decision. He stretched out his arms and jumped. The last thing he remembered was his hand failing to find purchase on Armin’s window sill.

He awoke in the hospital with Armin asleep on the couch next to his bed. He was immediately worried at the white mask he was wearing over his mouth. His eyes were red and puffy. Armin hadn’t become sicker had he?

Eren then noticed that his right arm was bandaged up and it hurt to breathe. He had a headache. A hand squeezed his shoulder and urged him back down.

“How are you feeling, sweetie? The doctor should be back by in a moment.” His mother was on the other side of the bed.

“What’s wrong with Armin? Why is he wearing that mask?” Eren tried to get up again only to be pushed back down.

“Baby, try to sit still until the doctor comes. You fell from a tree and broke your arm, cracked two ribs, and gave yourself a concussion. What in the world were you doing up there?” his mother asked.

Eren looked away guiltily.

“I was trying to jump from the tree to Armin’s window.” His mother sighed.

“We’ll have a long talk about this when your father gets here. Sleep now.”

“But I want to talk to Armin.”

“You’re going to rest and when you’re both awake you’re going to apologize to him. The poor boy thought you were dead. The doctors almost put him in the bed next to you because of how badly he was wheezing through his tears.”

Eren felt sick with guilt. He had made Armin worse. He felt his eyes burn with unshed tears. “Mommy, I didn’t mean to. I didn’t mean to make him sicker.”

“I know baby. So does Armin. You’ll see him when you wake up, so go back to sleep now.”

-9-

Armin stared at the girl Eren had just introduced to him. He said her name was Mikasa and that she was his sister now. She seemed kind of quiet, very unlike Eren. He stuck out his palm and shook her small hand. She peeked at him shyly from behind a red scarf that Armin knew used to be Eren’s.

“She’s gonna be a part of our family now,” Eren said matter-of-factly.

“Nice to meet you,” Mikasa mumbled.

“Nice to meet you too.” Except Armin didn’t feel nice about it. He didn’t feel nice at all. The next few weeks passed with Armin feeling increasingly less nice about it. He hated it because he did’t understand why. He just felt like this girl, this outsider, was intruding on him and Eren.

One day they were all playing in Armin’s room when she asked to borrow his animal book.

“No,” was his icy reply.

“Armin, just let her borrow your book. You’ve read it a million times,” Eren said, never looking away from the Hot Wheels he had brought over.

Something in Armin’s chest ignited at his words.

“I don’t want to share my books with her. I don’t want anything to do with her!” he spat. The other two stared at him in shock for a moment before he ran down the hall and locked himself in the bathroom.

He was embarrassed by his outburst. He was already 9 years old and he was acting like a little baby. But it wasn’t fair, he thought. Armin didn’t want to share his books and he didn’t want to share Eren with her. He could hear Eren pounding on the door, but he just yelled for him to go home. He couldn’t face him now; he had ruined it. They would go home and laugh about what a baby he was and be relieved they didn’t have to pretend to hang out with him anymore. Armin squeezed his eyes shut tighter and willed himself not to cry. It was no more than he deserved.

After a few minutes the pounding ceased. A softer knock took its place.

“Can I please come in, Armin?” Mikasa asked.

“Just leave me alone,” he sniffled. He silently cursed the tear that made its way down his face.

“You know, my family is in heaven now.” Armin froze. He could barely make out her words and crawled closer to the door.

“They died in a car crash and Eren’s papa said I could stay with them. And Eren said I could be a part of his family if I wanted. It made me really happy.”

“I’m sorry,” he said hoarsely. He had stopped crying and had his hand pressed to the door. “Do you miss them?”

“Sometimes. But it’s okay because Eren and his mama and papa make my family bigger. It would be nice if we could be family too.”

“You want to be my family even though I was mean to you?” he asked incredulously.

“Sometimes family has to be mean to each other, but they love each other anyways,” she replied softly. Armin thought her voice sounded nice.

“But now you and Eren have each other. Nobody needs me anymore.” He looked away from the door in disgust. It was true. Mikasa was strong and didn’t need a boost to climb trees. She was smart, almost as smart as Armin, and could take care of Eren.

“Eren’s so dumb he needs two people to take care of him,” she said bluntly. Armin clamped his hand over his mouth to hold in a laugh at Eren’s protest in the background. He had forgot he was listening; now it was his time to chime in.

“Armin, I’ll always need you! You remember our promise, right?” Eren asked.

“Yes. But you and Mikasa and can make it happen by yourselves.”

“But that promise was between you and me. One day we’re gonna live together and take care of each other. It doesn’t change just because I got a lame sister.” Armin could hear a muffled “oof” when Mikasa socked him on the shoulder.

“If there’s more people we can take care of each other better, don’t you think?” Mikasa said. Armin thought about what she said and couldn’t find a fault in her logic. He was surprised he didn’t think of it himself. He timidly opened the door.

Eren immediately tackled him into a bear hug. Mikasa stepped towards them nervously. Armin grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

“We can be family if you want,” he said shyly.

“Of course we can! You’re super smart but sometimes you can be really dumb,” Eren teased. Armin shot him a glare as he was pulled into a group hug.

-10-

Armin clutched his grandpa’s hand as they sat in the uncomfortable pew. The pastor gave his eulogy, but Armin only caught snippets here and there. Something about them being in a better place now and that they are in paradise, but Armin couldn’t help thinking that his parents were perfectly happy here on earth with him. He looked at their pictures, smiling happily while surrounded by more flowers than he had ever seen in his life.

They had died in a plane crash. Their bodies had been cremated because even the man who was supposed to make corpses look pretty couldn’t put his parents back together. Armin had overheard the man telling his grandpa he was lucky to even have bodies to cremate.

Eren sat on his other side and kept glancing at him nervously. Mikasa had come even though this probably stirred up nothing but bad memories for her. For that, Armin was grateful. When the time came to say his final goodbye he went up to the display alone. He reached out to their portraits with a trembling hand. He tried to think of something to say, but words kept getting stuck in his throat. He almost jerked away when a rough, warm hand grabbed his. A cool palm clasped his other.

“Thank you for taking care of Armin. Mikasa and I promise to take care of him since you can’t anymore.” Eren’s voice cracked at the end. Mikasa just squeezed his hand. Her eyes looked tight and Armin saw her nod at Eren’s words. He squeezed both of their palms back.

He waved goodbye as Mikasa and Eren got into their parents’ car. His grandpa gripped his shoulder and led him to his car. He told Armin that he was going to live with him now. Armin’s heart sank to learn that he would now be a car ride away from his friends instead of only a few doors down. He smiled weakly at his grandpa and trusted that his friends wouldn’t abandon him.

-13-

“So what did he want with you?” Eren asked as he grabbed a handful of popcorn from the bowl in Armin’s lap. The three sat in front of the TV, movie forgotten. Jean had asked Mikasa to talk to him behind the gym after school that day and she had been tightlipped about the whole affair.

“He just wanted to talk.”

“But about what?”

“He just wanted to know if I wanted to go to the spring formal with him. That’s all,” she said before turning back to the movie. Armin and Eren looked at each other in shock.

“You said no, right?! Please, Mikasa, tell me you aren’t going to the spring formal with that idiot,” Eren scoffed.

“I said I didn’t know if I was going and then he kissed me and told me to think about it,” she replied, shrugging her shoulders.

“Wait, he kissed you?! Unbelievable! And you let him?!” Eren was fuming. Armin had been silent this whole time, but he was surprised that Mikasa was being so calm about the whole thing.

“Do you like him?” Armin ventured to ask.

“I guess he’s okay. He’s kind of dumb but Marco hangs out with him and Marco’s pretty nice.”

“No, I mean do you like like him?” Her eyes widened.

“What do you mean like like him?” she asked, nonplussed. Armin sighed. He thought this might have been the case. Mikasa didn’t pick up on stuff like this easily.

“I mean do you want him as your boyfriend?”

“Why would I need a boyfriend if I have you guys?” She yawned. “I’m going to bed. I think I’ll tell him no on Monday.”

Armin listened to Eren rant about how stupid Jean was and how dense his sister was for a while before his mind started to wander. He wondered what kissing felt like. He wished he had asked Mikasa how it felt before she tucked herself into her sleeping bag. She had her own room, but whenever Armin came to sleep over, which was almost every weekend, she pulled her sleeping bag out to sleep with them in Eren’s room.

“Eren, what do you think kissing feels like?” he asked, interrupting his friend’s tirade.

“I don’t know, probably gross. It’s like you’re drinking each other’s spit,” he scoffed. Armin scrunched up his nose at the disgusting thought.

“I heard it feels nice. It looks nice in all those movies,” he continued. The two boys looked at each other for a moment before Eren spoke.

“Do you want to try it?” Eren asked. Armin’s cheeks turned a wonderful shade of pink.

“T-two boys? Do you think it works when it’s two boys?”

“Probably. Boys’ mouths are the same as girls’ mouths. You tell me; you’re the smarty pants.”

“I-I guess that’s right.” Armin’s heart rate slowed. He decided it wouldn’t be a big deal if it was just between him and Eren, and it would also be good practice for the future.

The two boys leaned in closer to each other. Their lips met gently, but neither knew what to do after. They sat there like that for a moment before pulling apart.

“That didn’t seem as fun as it does in the movies,” Eren said, “but I don’t think it’s bad if it’s with you.”

Eren turned back to the television screen and missed Armin’s face turning a deep shade of crimson.

-15-

Armin ran down the hall of the school and out the front doors. Eren was waiting, as he promised, by the bike rack.

“Sorry that took so long! Everyone left early and Marco and I were the only ones left to clean up and organize the notes,” he panted, climbing onto the back of Eren’s bike. Eren flinched when Armin placed a hand on his shoulder.

“That’s fine,” he muttered before taking off.

Eren had been tense lately, and Armin had attributed it to hormones or Eren’s usual wierdness, but he had begun to wonder if it wasn’t something else. He had decided to find out the root of the problem that night at the party.

Armin wondered if it was even any of his business. It might have to do with something totally unrelated to him, and Eren wasn’t obligated to tell him everything. It’s not Eren’s fault Armin had been crushing on him hard since grade 8, when he realized how jealous he felt over Eren dating Annie for 2 weeks after the spring formal. He would never admit it though. If he confessed, it would ruin their friendship. Even if they did, by some miracle, get together, what would happen if and when they broke up? As the saying goes, first loves never last. A relationship would ruin their friendship, and the prospect of never again being the way he was now with Eren frightened Armin more than words could say. So he kept it in. But sometimes, when he unconsciously squeezed Eren’s waist too tight on the ride home together, or when his face flushed and eyes wandered as they changed together in their childhood bedrooms, it slipped out, and it was all Armin could do to keep his feelings in check.

He had had enough. It was going to end with this party. He was going to get to the problem of Eren’s issue and find someone else to have a crush on, and not necessarily in that order. Marco wasn’t a bad choice, and he’d probably be there. Besides, Eren had been his first and last kiss; Armin was probably just hung up on that like the pathetic little kid he was. That was all going to change tonight, he decided.

That determination, however, did not mean Armin’s wasn’t still incredibly apprehensive about the whole ordeal. It was Armin’s first high school party. Eren and Mikasa had already been to one as a part of the JV football team, but they decided it would be more fun if Armin was there. It felt nice to be included, and the bullying had stopped since middle school, but that didn’t mean he was totally trusting of groups of rowdy teenage boys. Especially drunk and rowdy teenage boys. It didn’t help that Mikasa had caught the flu the day before and couldn’t go with them.

Eren became more fidgety as the party neared. He paced nervously by the door until Reiner and Bertholdt showed up to give them a ride. He talked nearly non-stop the entire way there until Reiner shut him up with a swift punch to the arm.

The party was being held at Jean’s house. Eren and Jean didn’t get along, but Armin liked him well enough. It was half the reason he agreed to go in the first place. If it was at Jean’s house, Marco would be there and provide some sober company.

The house was packed with sweaty teens and smelled like cheap beer. Armin could feel the bass of the stereo system in his chest. Eren headed straight for the kitchen, but Armin couldn’t keep up. Having lost his friend, he began to search for a familiar face. Many people were already drunk and it wasn’t hard to spot Jean’s booming voice over the din of the crowd.

He was chugging a beer while a group of football players cheered him on. Armin noticed Marco sipping on something in a red solo cup a little ways back. His back was against a wall and his cheeks looked slightly flushed, to Armin’s surprise. Marco didn’t seem like the type of guy to drink.

He waved as Armin approached and offered him some of what looked like vodka and juice. Armin declined, content to just watch the drunken antics rather than participate. He spotted Reiner taking shots of tequila and Eren slipping out of the kitchen and into the crowded living room. Marco turned to talk to him about one of the classes he was taking, and Armin discovered he was enjoying himself at this party. The energy made him feel like anything was possible. When a nearly trashed Jean pushed a cup of beer into his hands, Armin didn’t decline.

The night wore on, and Armin grew worried about Eren. He hadn’t seen him for a while, but he decided Eren could take care of himself. He was buzzed at this point, laughing more easily at jokes and even telling a few himself. Bertholdt soon joined their group, taking a break from babysitting Reiner.

“Armin, buddy, pal! I found you!” Eren slurred. He was completely wasted, beer spilled down the front of his shirt and pants.

“Hey there champ, how are you feeling?” Armin held out a hand to steady his friend. He had never seen Eren like this. He looked on edge, and Armin thought it was probably time for them to leave.

“Nothing much. I mean fine. Listen, I need to tell you something.” Eren clumsily reached out for Armin.

“Whoa, whoa, easy there. Uh, Bert, I think it’s time we headed home. Do you mind?” Armin looked up at Bertholdt with a silent plea in his eyes.

“I think I better get Reiner home too,” he replied to Armin’s relief.

Bertholdt pulled Reiner away from a game of strip poker gone horribly wrong while Armin practically dragged Eren to the car. He was looking pale, and Armin silently prayed he wouldn’t be cleaning up his friend’s vomit that night, an act that proved futile when the boy stopped to puke in Jean’s flower bed.

As soon as they were all in the car, Eren sleepily put a slightly puke-smeared face on Armin’s leg. Armin’s nose wrinkled in disgust, but decided not to say anything. Yet. He’d have plenty to say about it tomorrow morning, he thought as Eren nuzzled into his lap.

“I love you, Armin,” Eren sighed into Armin’s thigh. A blush rose in Armin’s face.

“Hah! What the hell that’s so gay!” Reiner bellowed. He slung an arm around Bertholdt’s shoulder and tried to pull him in for a kiss.

“Oh god Reiner stop please I’m driving oh god oh god—“ Bertholdt struggled to pull himself from Reiner’s strong grip and keep his eyes on the road. Armin’s blush had reached his ears and he became conscious of how he was instinctively running his fingers through Eren’s messy hair.

Bertholdt dropped them off at Armin’s grandpa’s house. His grandfather was already asleep, but Eren seemed to be trying his hardest to wake him up. He refused to walk by himself and complained loudly about not being able to feel his legs. Armin helped his friend upstairs before he could throw up in the living room. Puking a second time—this time in the upstairs toilet—seemed to sober Eren up a bit.

“I’m never drinking again,” he moaned, clutching the toilet seat. Sweat and tears ran down his face. Armin rubbed his back soothingly.

“You should have known your limits, idiot.”

“That’s mean, you know?! I was nervous! I thought alcohol might help me get over it,” Eren muttered, wiping his face with his sleeve. The worst of his sickness seemed to be over.

“Get over what?” Armin asked.

“Telling you that I like you, dummy,” Eren groaned as he tried to stand. He fell to the floor and covered his mouth with his hands when he realized what he had just said. He closed his eyes and let his head hit the toilet seat. Neither of them said anything for a while.

“Let’s just go to bed,” Armin said quietly. His entire face was flushed from alcohol and embarrassment and Eren looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

Eren whimpered as he was helped into Armin’s bed, and Armin climbed in after him. They both thought they’d have trouble sleeping, but the booze and exhaustion worked to knock them out almost instantly.

The next morning Armin groaned at the soft daylight filling his room. He had a headache and his throat was dry, but it was nothing he couldn’t handle. He cringed at how Eren was going to feel when he woke up.

 _Shit. Eren._ Armin remembered his friend’s accidental confession from the night before. _Oh god oh god what do I do? Should I just play it off? Should I ask him if he remembers? Shit I—_

“Armin,” Eren mumbled and began to stir next to him. He blinked twice and winced. “I swear to god I’m never drinking again.”

“Welcome to the land of the living,” Armin tried to sound nonchalant, but his voice was edged with a bit of nervousness. _How much did Eren remember?_

“Fuck. Shit. Last night I said—fuck me. Goddamn it,” Eren groaned. _Apparently he remembered everything._ Armin sighed.

“Yeah, we should probably talk about that,” Armin said. He brought himself to sit up and pulled his knees to his chest. A blush began to form on his cheeks and be buried his face in his knees. Eren sat up as well, his hair sleep-tousled. Dark circles formed like bruises under his eyes.

“I just… I don’t know. Forget it. I was drunk. I didn’t mean to tell you—tell you that way.” Eren fumbled through his words.

“That way?” He looked away in embarrassment. The alcohol was supposed to give him the push he needed to confess that night, but he hadn’t meant to do it while wasted, vomit still on his chin.

“Like… drunk and stuff. You deserve better than that. I was gonna make it romantic and shit. There’s nothing romantic about puke.” Eren stuck out his tongue in disgust.

“But you really meant it?”

“I wouldn’t joke about something like that.” Armin’s heart pounded. He wrapped his arms tighter around his knees and willed Eren to look at him. He needed to know what Eren was thinking.

“Eren. Eren, look at me.” Eren locked his eyes on Armin’s and forced himself to not look away. Armin took a deep breath.

“I like you too.”

Eren grew tense. “It sounds like there’s a ‘but’ in there somewhere.”

“But aren’t you scared? Aren’t you scared this’ll ruin our friendship? I’m freaking out over here,” Armin whimpered. He felt pathetic and scared and overjoyed all at the same time and he wondered how Eren could handle all of that _and_ a massive hangover. Eren grabbed Armin’s hand and stared at him with renewed conviction.

“There’s no way we’ll ever hate each other. We promised to be together forever; this is just destiny. I was worried we’d have to live apart if we ever got married, but now we can marry each other! I was more worried you’d say you didn’t like me that way,” he exhaled, relieved. Armin’s worries seemed so silly to him. Did he really think so little of their bond? No, Eren knew that was wrong. It was in Armin’s nature to worry, just as it was in Eren’s to forge ahead without regret. It was one of a million things Eren loved about him. He rubbed his thumb in small circles on Armin’s hand appreciatively.

Armin’s face heated up at Eren’s unexpected gentleness. Armin discovered Eren could say some really embarrassing things without realizing it, and his heart beat faster at the thought of how much else there was to learn about the boy he was sure he loved. His hand curled around Eren’s and squeezed.

“You really want to be together?” Armin asked quietly.

“I’ve never been more sure about anything,” Eren breathed. He leaned closer to Armin and cupped his palm on the other boy’s check.

“You’re never going to go away?” Armin’s voice trembled. His lips quivered and Eren stopped them when he closed the distance with his own.

The kiss was warm and reassuring and everything Armin couldn’t find words for. It didn’t feel wrong or strange; it felt _right._ As if it were a natural extension of all the years they spent together, an inevitable conclusion.

Armin opened his mouth and Eren groaned into it. Eren was all biting and licking and sucking, every bit as passionate in this as he was in everything else he did. Armin couldn’t believe this was for him alone. When they pulled apart, both boys were panting.

“We’ll always be together, won’t we?” Armin said, resting his forehead against Eren’s and closing his eyes.

“You know we will.”

               

-18-

“That’s the last of the boxes,” Armin sighed, nearly collapsing onto the uncomfortable dorm room bed.

“The result isn’t too shabby, I have to admit,” Eren replied glancing around the newly finished room for two. It was move-in day at Sina University, and Eren had coaxed Armin into helping him finish unpacking during what little downtime they had that day. They were expected at one of the athletic buildings for some speech to welcome new students, but they had a few minutes before they had to leave.

“I still don’t know why you saw the need to unpack everything this minute when we have a week before classes start.”

“You really don’t get it?” Armin sat up in confusion. Eren looked at him expectantly. Armin shook his head.

“That’s okay,” Eren said, sitting down next to his boyfriend on the small bed and nuzzled his head into the boy’s shoulder, “I’ll forgive you this time.”

He began a trail of kisses leading from Armin’s neck to the corner of his jaw and ending at his ear. Armin groaned softly and almost forgot about the earlier exchange. Almost.

“Eren. Eren!” he gasped as Eren pushed him further onto the bed, “What did you mean earlier? I want to know.”

Eren pouted slightly and pulled him close.

“We finally get to live together. No parents, no one else. Just us. Well, no one except Mikasa down the hall. Speak of the devil, I think those footsteps are definitely hers,” he said, pulling away.

Armin stared open-mouthed at the brunet. The unexpectedly romantic gesture had left his heart aching for the boy sitting next to him. He pulled Eren into another kiss by the collar of his shirt before he could get up. He seemed surprised at his boyfriend’s sudden initiative, but replied with kisses of his own. Was it possible to have a conversation entirely by kisses? Armin hadn’t thought so, but the longer he dated Eren, the less sure he became.

The boys pulled apart abruptly at Mikasa clearing her throat in their doorway.

“I wasn’t going to interrupt, but we really need to get going if we’re going to make it to the opening ceremony,” she said, quirking up her eyebrows. Eren gave Armin one last appreciative glance before they left the room they now shared.

-22-

“I love you” were the words said by a sweaty, naked blond boy to his equally sweaty, equally naked brown-haired boyfriend. They laid together panting, tangled in white sheets on the brand new queen-sized bed in their first apartment. Moving in together after graduation hadn’t even been a question of yes or no; it was assumed.

Eren pulled Armin close and planted a gentle kiss on his forehead. He liked it when they laid together like this after sex. It was the juxtaposition of it all: the animalistic desire paired with uncoupled tenderness. The extremes complemented each other in a way he didn’t think he’d ever get tired of.

“We did it,” Armin whispers into Eren’s shoulder. His breath tickled the other boy.

“Did what? Sex? We do that all the time.”

Armin breaks into a grin and gives a light punch to the other boy’s arm.

“No. We moved in together. We’re really doing it. We’re living on our own, supporting ourselves. Cooking for each other and taking care of each other. No parents, just us.”

Eren hums in response and pulls his boyfriend closer. Even after being together this long, Armin’s words alone were enough to make his heart beat faster.

“Too bad Mikasa couldn’t be here with us, huh?” Armin asked after a moment.

“I think she and Annie are doing just fine, somehow. Besides, it’s not like she can’t walk down the hall and see us if she needs to. We even gave her a key!”

“Somehow I think we’re going to regret that,” Armin laughs. He presses a kiss into Eren’s collarbone.

“You know, forever is a long time,” Eren says as Armin’s lips travel upwards to his.

“Think you can handle it?” Blue eyes narrowed deviously as Armin got up and straddled Eren’s hips. Eren thought for what was probably the millionth time in his life of how beautiful his lover, his best friend, looked with his long, soft hair framing his bright, blue eyes.

“I don’t think I have a choice even if I wanted one.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you read all of this fic thank you so much wow. Also, if you can't tell I have this headcanon that Eren calls Armin "dummy" a lot even though he thinks Armin's probably smarter than Steven Hawking. And Armin wrinkles his nose when he finds something gross.


End file.
